Rising South African middle-distance star Adriaan Wildschutt smashed the national 10km record at the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha leg on Sunday.
Wildschutt broke the tape in a brilliant 27min 28sec, surpassing the previous record of 27:35 set by Precious Mashele on the same course in 2023.
The 26-year-old Ceres-born athlete, who earned R30,000 for his victory and an additional R50,000 bonus for setting the new national record, explained how he went about his impressive feat.
“It felt good coming off the back stretch, the last 3-4km, I knew it was going to be a real fight, but I also wanted the win so bad and I knew I had a guy with me, so I just made a big surge at 3km and then again at 6km,” said Wildschutt.
“I knew that was going to cost me a lot in the last 3km, but if I didn’t make those moves, I wouldn’t have broken the record, so I knew it was going to be a huge challenge, but I kept on pushing against the wind.
“And I was watching my clock the whole time, so I’m glad I used my watch, and I just kept squeezing, pushing, and trying to see if I could get away from the wind a little bit, and the closer I got, the more I realised that it might be right there.
“I made a big push in the last 500m and I’m just so happy that I was able to pull it off.”
Kenya’s Vincent Kipkorir claimed second in 27:49, while South African Kabelo Mulaudzi rounded off the podium in third with a time of 27:59.
“We went 13:55 through halfway, that’s 27:50 [if you double it] and it’s about 30 seconds off the record, so making that up in the second half, when you’re already tired and against the wind, I knew it was going to take a big effort.
“So, if I didn’t make the move from 3km out, I knew I was going to pay, and when I got to 7-8km mark, I was like, ‘Damn, I knew it.’ But at least I gave myself a shot and I was able to just make it, so I’m very happy about that.”
